The Monitor (Kampala)
http://allafrica.com/stories/200509040020.html
September 4, 2005
Posted to the web September 4, 2005
Jan Ajwang

Aga-Khan Schools Celebrate Centenary

The Aga Khan Education Service Uganda (AKES) last week hosted Aga Khan Schools in East Africa to Centenary Celebrations and Olympics. The events which begun on August 30 and ended on September 2 saw students from various Aga Khan schools in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania meet at Aga Khan School in Makerere.

A photo Exhibition at the front of the main hall, tells the story of Aga Khan schools in Uganda through the years. This year marks 100 years of existence of the Aga Khan Schools in East Africa dating back to 1905, when the first school was built on Zanzibar Island.

The schools have since promoted quality education to students and the communities where they hail. The week was jammed with various activities, which included academic projects in various disciplines of study, theatre arts projects like dances, one act plays, songs and plays among others.

According to a statement from the school," The benefits of this approach include increased networking among faculty and students, an increased awareness of the education systems and the benefits of shared expertise enjoyed in every school in the region."

The deputy headmaster, Mr D. Obondo, said; "We expose our students not just to the local curriculum but we also give them opportunities to interact globally with others through Olympics." Students are also exposed through the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in learning, affiliation to centres of academic excellence like the Phillips Academy in USA, University of Galgary and others.

"We have seen progressively good results from our schools. Our primary school has certainly made an impact in education circles in the nation. The high school is spearheading the direction of education into a more international perspective," Obondo said. "We have equal opportunity for both female and males in all our schools.

This will put girls in positions where they are able to have equal career opportunities and to progress in cases where they would not have thrived," according to Anthony Cook, the Chief Executive Officer of Aga Khan Eductaion services.

"We are making sure that there is a good service science teaching in as much as it is in the humanities," he added. This year, Aga Khan High school starts the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

While the schools in Tanzania and Kenya have been in full existence, the schools in Uganda were affected by the political turmoil in the early 70s and were taken over by the government then. Aga Khan schools join a series of schools that have recently celebrated centenaries like Gayaza High School, Mengo Secondary School and St Mary's College Kisubi.